Can top and method of making the same



Dec. 29, 1931. EVANS I 1,838,302

CAN TOP AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Feb. 9. 1925 Jig Z. l

Patente cl Dec. 29, 1931 JAMES D. EVANS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA CAN TOP AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME' Application filed February 9, 1925. Serial No. 7,934.

My invention relates to cans, having particular relation to opening devices therefor, and it is an important object of'my invention to' provide a device of the class described,

' which lends itself to inexpensive quantity production methods of manufacture, wherein the several parts may be .made on simple automatic machinery and assembled with a minimum expenditure of time and of money. Anotherobject of my invention is to pro Vide a method of applying my device to standard sanitary can topswithout the necessity of disturbing or changing the usual seaming tools employed in connection with such can tops. 1

A further object of my invention is to provide a method of securing a ripping wire on a can without disturbing the position of the wire or the form of the can during the securing operation.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a can top'of the usual sanitary type with a groove adapted to receive a ripping wire and with an inwardly disposed expansive b ortion, permitting one edge of said groo e to be so folded as to secure said wire in position without stretching the remaining portions of the can top.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a ripping wire with a knurled portion adapted to grip the walls of a groove embracing the same, whereby the tendency of the wire to slip in said groove, when a force is applied thereto, is minimized. A still further object of my invention is to provide an aperture for the reception of a ripping wire which is of such design asto cause a decrease in the force necessary to effeet the initial ripping of a can,

tions in mind, my invention further consists in the details of-construction and operation and arrangement, hereinafter described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is an enlarged, detail sectional view of the punch, die and blank employed in the initial blank-forming operation;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the punch and die employed in the second operation, where- With these and other objects and applicain the wire-receiving groove is formed in the blank; Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of the blank with the ripping wire secured in position;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the can top of Fig. 3 with a portion of the wall adjacent to one end of the ripping wire removed.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view of an alternative punch, die and blank to that shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a similar view, but showing a punch and die adapted to form a wire-receiving groove in the blank of Fig. 5.

' Referring to Fig. 1, a strip of metal is first interposed between a die 1 and a punch 2, which cooperate to form a blank 3 with a circular groove 4. .The latter comprises a relatively short vertically inclined wall 5 and a relatively long wall 6 extending toward the center of the blank 3. The relatively short wall-5 extends into a substantially horizontal circular portion 7 which serves to separate an outer portion 8 used in the usual seaming operation from the wall 5 of the groove 4. The seaming operation, which results in the mounting of the blank 3 on the body of a can, may be efiected by the usual automatic machinery employed for such purposes. The space between the vertical wall 5 of'the groove 4 and an adjacent wall 9 of 30 the seaming portion 8 thus permits the mandrel of the seaming machine to seat closely against the vertical wall 9 and hold it securely in position without engaging the adjacent wall 5 of the groove 4, all as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The second step in forming the device of Figs. 3 and 4 involves the structure of Fig. 2, wherein the blank 3 is. mounted intermediate a die 11 and a punch 12. The punch 12 comprises an ejector 13, a center ring 14, a groove ring 15 and an outer ring 16. i The die 11 comprises a center die member 17, an intermediate die ring 18 and an outer die r ring 19. The intermediate die ring 18 is provided with a projecting portion 21 which is positioned to engage a point m (Fig. 1) on the long wall 6 of the groove 4 immediately adjacent to the upper end of the short wall 5 thereof, so that as the die 11 and the punch therein is formed.

12 are brought together, an upwardly extending circular portion having a groove 22 constitutes an expansive section, as will appear more fully hereinafter.

The operations illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 may be respectively modified as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Referring to Fig. 5, a die 1' and a punch 2 are adapted to form a blank 3' comprising an outwardly extending circular portion provided with a groove 4 hav- 7 ing a relatively short wall 5' and a relative ly long wall 6 that extends toward the cen ter of the blank 1. The relatively short wall 5 extends into an inwardly extending circular grooved portion 7', the outer wall of which merges into a vertically inclined wall portion 9, of the seaming portion 8. The blank thus formed may be operated on by a die 11' and a punch 12 to form a wire-receiv ing groove 22, as shown in Fig. 6, and the resulting blank is substantially identical to that formed by thepunch and die mechanism of Figs. 1 and 2.

As above noted, an important object of my invention is to rigidly secure the ripping wire 23 in the groove 22 in such manner that the position of the wire 23 is not changed during the securing operation, thus avoiding the stretching and consequent slippage of said wire. Furthermore, the portion of the blank 3 disposed inwardly of the enlarged circular recess 27 should not be stretched nor the position of the wall 9 of the seaming section 8 altered with respect to the wire-receiving groove 22. These desired results are accomplished in my invention by folding inwardly the lower portion of the elongated wall 25 of the wire-receiving groove 22 so as 'to extend around and under the lower side of the ripping wire 23, securely locking the same in position. This folding in operation causes a stretching of the expansive section 27, thus changing one side thereof from the form shown in Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 3.

Hence it is apparent that the expansive section 27 furnishes the additional material necessary in the folding-inor locking operation and the portion of the blank 3 inwardly of the section 27 is not subjected to undesirablestrains. Moreover, the position of the ripping wire 23 as well as the adjacent wall remains unchanged. Instead of folding aeeasoa inwardly the entire lower edge of the wall 25 of the wire-receiving groove 22, it may be indented at a plurality of points so as to form supporting shoulders.

The ripping wire 23 is provided with a knurled end portion 29 (Fig. 4) that may be imbedded in the walls of the groove 22, whereby the wire 23 may be prevented from slipping in said groove when a force is applied to an external end portion 31. The external portion 31 extends from the circular groove 22 through a perforation 32, one side 33 of whichis in the form of a V with the apex extending in the direction of the line of tear, in order to decrease the initial tearing force necessary to be applied to the handle 31. The perforation 32 may be sealed by means of soldering. The perforation 32 is preferably formed by punching from the under side of the blank 3, since it has been found that by so doing, the initial tearing force is still further decreased.

While I have shown only one form of embodiment of my invention, for the purpose of describing the same and illustrating its principles of construction and operation, it is apparent that various changes and 1nodifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be imposed thereon as are indi' cated in the appended claims or as are demanded by the prior art.

I claim:

1. A can top blank comprising a substantially horizontal portion and provided with a circular groove adapted to receive a ripping wire, one edge of said groove extending into the substantially horizontal portion of said can top blank, the latter having a circular recess disposed inwardly of said groove and extending into the other edge thereof, wherebythe latter edge may be bent around so as to lock said wire in position without subjecting the portions of said lid inwardly of said recess to strains.

2. A. can top blank comprising a substantially horizontal portion having a vertically extending annular flange connected to one edge thereof, said can top blank having a circular grooved portion connected to the other edge of said horizontal portion, an enlarged circular grooved portion disposed inwardly of said first-mentioned grooved portion, and

an intermediate portion connecting the edges of said grooved portions, said enlarged grooved portion serving as an expansibl'e portion upon the bending of said intermediate portion.

3. A body provided with a groove adapted torec'eive a ripping wire, a ripping wire in said groove, said groove having a perforation through which said ripping wire extends, one side of said perforation being in the form of a V.

4. A can top blank having a groove adapted to receive a ripping wire, a ripping wire in said groove, said groove" being provlded with a perforation through which the rip-' 5. A body provided with a groove adapt ed to receive a ripping wire, a ripping Wire in said groove, having a knurled portion, said groove having a perforation through which said ripping wire extends, one side of 7 said perforation being in the 'formof a V,

said body also*hav ing a seaming portion provided with a mandrel-engaging flange spaced from said groove, and an expansible portion permitting one side of said groove to be folded-around said ripping wire without subjecting the adjacent portions of said bodyto substantial strains.

6. A'can top blank having'a wire seat comprising a Wall defining a predetermined area of the blank, a ripping wire in said seat against said wall, and a flexible portion in the said area immediately adjacent said wall to permit said Wall to be expanded relative to said area to maintain-said wire in its seat in the blank. 7 I

7 A can top blank having a wire-receiving groove comprising inner and outer walls, said groove defining a predetermined area of the blank, a ripping Wire in the groove, and

a flexible portion at the outer edge of the defined area permitting a portion of the inner wall of the groove to be expanded with respect to said area to confine the wire in the groove.

8. A can top blank havirig a wire-receiving groove comprising inner and outer walls, said groove defining a predetermined area of the blank, a ripping wire in the groove, and a flexible portion at the outer edge of the defined area and extending into the portion of the said area immediately adjacent the inner wall of the groove permitting a portion of the inner Wall of the groove to be ex- .panded with respect tosaid area to confine the wire in the groove.

9. A can top blank having a wire-receiving groove comprising inner and outer walls, said grbove defining a predetermined area of the blank, a ripping wire in the groove, said inner wall and the portion of the said area immediately adjacent said inner wall constituting a flexible portio'n permitting a portion of said inner wall to be expanded with respect to said area to confine the wire in the groove.

10. A can top having a wire-receiving groove comprising inner and outer walls,

said groove defining a predetermined area of the blank, a ripping wire in said groove, and

a flexible'portion in said area immediately adjacent the inner wall of the groove, permitting a portion of said inner wall to be ex-. panded relative to said area to confine the wire in the groove.

11. A can top blank having a wire-receiv ing groove comprising an outer wall and a relatively longer inner wall, said groove defining a predetermined area of said blank,

, and a flexible portion in said areaimmediately adjacent the long inner wall of the groove permitting said inner wall to be folded out- Wardly relative to said area and around the 'WiIG to confine the wire in the groove.

ing groove comprising inner and outer walls,

said groove defining a predetermined area of the blank, a flexible portion at. the outer edge of said area permitting said inner wall to be expanded relative to said area to confine the wirein the groove, a substantially flat portion outside and connected to the outer wall of the groove, an upstanding flange on said fiat portion at the outer edge thereof and a seaming rim extending outwardly from said upstanding flange.

14. The method of forming a wire-receiving groove in a can top blank which eomprises the raising of a portion of the blank sheet in one direction to a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the sheet and subsequently applying force to said raised portion in an opposite direction to produce the groove in said raised portion. 15. The method of forming a wire-receiving groove ina can top blank which comprises-the raising of a portion of the blank tion of the sheet at one side of said raised portion to aplane lower than the plane of' the first said raised portion, providing a rela tivelylong wall and an oppositely disposed relatively short wall at the opposite sides of the first said raised portion, and subsequently applying a force inan opposite direction to the first said raised portion adjacent the said short wall thereof to form 4 the groove in first said raised portion.

16. The method of forming a wire-receiving groove in a can top blank which comprises the raising of a portion of the blank aeaaeoe sheet in one direction to a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the sheet and the portion of the sheet at one side of said raised portion to a plane lower than the plane of the first said raised portion, providing a relatively long Wall and an oppositely disposed relatively short wall at the opposite sides of the first said raised portion, subsequently applying a force in an opposite direction to the first said raised portion adjacent the said short Wall thereof to form the groove in first said raised portion, and simultaneously upsetting thesaid short Wall and the portion of the second said raised portion of the blank immediately adjacent the said short Wall to form a flexible portion in the blank immediately adjacent the groove.

17. The method of forming a Wire-receiv- 'ing groove in a can top blank which coniprises the raising of a portion of the lolank sheet in one direction to a plane suhstantially parallel to the plane of thesheet and the portion of the sheet at one side of said raised portion to a plane lower than the plane of the first said raised portion, providing a relatively long wall and an oppositely disposed relatively short Wall at the opposite sides of the first said raised portion, subsequently applying a force in an opposite direction to the first said raised portion adjacent the said short Wall thereof to form the groove in first said raised portion, and subsequently upsetting the said short wall and the portion of the second said raised portion-of the blank immediately adjacent the said short wall to produce a relatively long Wall on the one side of the groove and to produce a flexible portion in the blank immediately adjacent the said long wall of the groove.

JAMES D. EVANS. 

